Plympton residents call for fix as rogue baseballs fly out of Weigall Oval, damage roofs, cars

Baseballs flying out of a suburban oval are landing on roofs, causing damage and making residents worried – now they’re demanding council fix it.

Rogue baseballs flying beyond the boundaries of a western suburbs sporting oval are hitting nearby cars and homes – and sparking safety fears.

Residents living next to Weigall Oval in Plympton say when the Adelaide Angels Baseball Club hold games or practice, balls regularly fly into their yard and on to their roofs, sometimes leaving damage.

One local, who asked to be identified as Susan, said a few years ago her family discovered rain coming through their roof after a baseball landed on their home and seemingly shattered a tile.

“We’d gone up to have a look and you could tell that the tile had been shattered because there was still a baseball there, but we didn’t get reimbursed for that,” she said, adding it cost them $400 to patch up the roof.

Scarlett Drogemuller and her sister have collected more than a dozen baseballs that have landed on their property. Photo: RoyVPhotography

Neighbours say the problem started around five years ago when the oval was reconfigured and the baseball pitch was moved.

Council extended the fence to 9m along a part of the oval in late 2023 to stop stray balls but locals said while fewer balls were coming over the fence, the problem remained.

Susan said last December a friend stopped by with her two-year-old son to drop off a Christmas present when their car was hit by a ball.

She said their visitors had parked next to the oval for fewer than five minutes when the ball flew over the fence and shattered the back window.

“If they had gone back ... (earlier) her and her little boy could have been hurt because of the shards of glass,” she said.

Another time she said a baseball barely missed her mother in the front yard, leaving her fearing for others’ safety.

“We don’t want to see the actual game being stopped, we like that, it’s just ... who takes responsibility if a ball comes out and injures just a regular passer-by?” she said. “It’d be good if council could think of a solution.”

Scarlett Drogemuller and her sister have collected more than a dozen baseballs that have landed on their property. Photo: RoyVPhotography

The issue will be raised at a West Torrens Council meeting on Tuesday night where the baseball club will speak to councillors and staff.

The Advertiser has contacted the club for comment. 

Local Scarlett Drogemuller and her sister have collected more than a dozen balls that have fallen on to their property over the past year.

She said one of the balls hit her sister’s car, smashing the back light and leaving a hole in the vehicle.

“I’m definitely worried about our property, hitting our car again or the windows again or the roof,” she said.

She said she wanted council to extend the fence to stop balls clearing it.

Deputy Mayor John Woodward, who plans to ask council to look at potential solutions at Tuesday night’s meeting, said he believed additional measures were needed to stop the balls hitting the road and people’s homes.

Originally published as Plympton residents call for fix as rogue baseballs fly out of Weigall Oval, damage roofs, cars